GINA

Geographic Information Network of Alaska (GINA)

Geophysical Institute

Geographic Information Network of Alaska

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Meet the Team​

Dedicated to providing near real-time satellite products
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Jen Delamere

Director of GINA

Associate Research Professor
(Snow, Ice, and Permafrost Group at the Geophysical Institute)

  • 907-474-7140
  • jsdelamere@alaska.edu
Dr. Delamere has studied Alaska and the Arctic from the ground and from space for nearly 30 years. Currently, Dr. Delamere is the Director of the Geographic Information Network of Alaska (GINA) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She is charged with ensuring rapid delivery of products from polar-orbiting satellites to forecasting partners and communities across Alaska. At GINA, Dr. Delamere works closely with the NOAA JPSS program, the NWS Alaska Region, the Alaska Fire Service, and the Alaska Volcano Observatory to ensure decision-makers have the best spaced-based data products available to help protect the property and lives of Alaskans. Dr. Delamere also has a foot on the ground in northern Alaska, where she engages in research studies that include the springtime melt season and precipitation measurement techniques.
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Christi Buffington

Science & Education Specialist; Program Manager
  • 907-474-2794
  • cbuffington@alaska.edu

Christina Buffington is a Science and Education Specialist and Program Manager at GINA.  With 20+ years of experience as an environmental scientist at an environmental engineering firm where she used GIS, teacher of undergraduate, high school, and middle school students, and the GLOBE training point of contact in Alaska, Christi facilitates applied environmental learning and research experiences with students and adults while honoring and centering Indigenous knowledge. In 2024, Christi received an Outstanding Teaching Award from the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. She holds a M.S. in Environmental Science from Washington State University-Pullman, M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction and B.S. in Soils and Environmental Science from Montana State University-Bozeman, and a Graduate Certificate in Environmental Health from University of Montana. Christi enjoys playing in liquid or frozen water: packrafting, kayaking, snowshoeing, skiing, and designing gravity-feed irrigation from rainwater catchments.

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HUNTER BARNDT

Research Programmer
  • whbarndt@alaska.edu
Hunter is a research scientist at GINA, previously working as an undergraduate research programmer. Hunter recently graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a B.S. in Physics and Computer Science and plans to pursue graduate school in the coming year. At GINA, Hunter is an Associate Mentor with the DoE ARM program, helping process and analyze data from the North Slope of Alaska research facility and he also assists with GINA’s MODIS-derived snow metrics project with the National Park Service. Hunter was born and raised in Alaska, loves running, hiking, snowmachining with family, friends, and his dog, and enjoys playing piano.
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Jay Cable

System Analyst
  • jay@alaska.edu

Jay Cable is a Research and Web Programmer for GINA. He helps operate GINA’s satellite ground stations and performs programming on special projects. He has worked with a wide array of programming languages including Java, C, Ruby, JavaScript, and Perl. Jay has a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and someday hopes to complete his M.S.

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Carl Dierking

Satellite Liaison
  • cfdierking@alaska.edu

Carl is a meteorologist working for GINA as a satellite liaison, developer, and trainer. He previously worked for the National Weather Service for nearly 40 years as a forecaster and Science Operations Officer. This experience provides insight into the satellite needs of operational weather forecasters in Alaska, with a focus on the development of tools and training that assists in the transition from research to operations.

Hannah Chapman-Dutton

Hannah Chapman-Dutton

Geospatial Data Analyst
  • hrchapmandutton@alaska.edu
Hannah is a Geospatial Data Analyst at GINA. She holds a BA in Environmental Studies from St. Olaf College and a MS in Geoscience from UAF which focused on the effects of snow albedo on summer sea ice across the Arctic. Before moving to Fairbanks, she worked at a Nevada gold mine as an Environmental Engineer. Hannah loves learning new skills related to geospatial data, python coding, and the unique environments of Alaska and the Arctic. She grew up in Spokane, Washington and loves gardening, foraging, knitting socks, and cuddling with her two cats.
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Owen larson

Geospatial Data Analyst
  • ojlarson@alaska.edu
Owen is a Geospatial Data Analyst who previously worked seasonally on a variety of field research and monitoring projects before pursuing a Masters in Geography and a Graduate GISci Certificate from Miami University. Originally from Minnesota, he has lived throughout Alaska and the lower 48 while leading canoe expeditions, trail work crews, and working as a biological science technician. Owen’s lifelong interest in the natural sciences led him to study GIS as a tool to visualize and present data, while his lifelong interest in the outdoors led him to repeatedly return to Alaska, where he works with GINA hosting data and imagery used by the Alaska Fire Service and other government agencies.
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MIKE PETERSON

Systems Administrator
  • mppeterson2@alaska.edu
Mike is a Systems Administrator who works on maintaining GINA’s servers, antennas, and infrastructure. Originally from Wisconsin, he traveled North as a whitewater river guide for his family’s buisiness. After working his way up from the help desk in private industry, he switched gears and started working at UAF for GINA in 2023. Mike prefers to commute to work on bike, even at -40. You’ll occasionally find him climbing mountains in Colorado, and shredding the Moose at Moose Mountain.
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Michelle Morris

Geospatial Data Analyst:
UAF Undergrad
  • mmorris16@alaska.edu

Michelle is an undergraduate student at UAF studying Natural Resources and the Environment with a focus in GIS. Hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area, she developed a love of both environmental preservation and conservation after seeing the effects of urban sprawl in real time. Michelle works with other analysts to assist in tool development and imagery analysis, while also running the GINA social media pages in the interim. Outside of work, Michelle loves learning, doing anything with yarn, playing very recreational Yu-Gi-Oh!, and being outdoors in situations that would frighten her mother.

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Grace Veenstra

Communications & Outreach:
UAF Undergrad
  • geveenstra@alaska.edu

Grace is an undergraduate student at UAF majoring in Biological Sciences and Science Communications, and is focusing on climate change and arctic issues in her studies. Grace currently operates GINA’s social media pages, organizes presentations, manages the website, and compiles Quick Guides on GINA’s products. She has published several articles describing the role of satellites and GINA in Alaska and how they contribute to everything from tracking wildfires to following spring breakup. At GINA, she is learning more about using GIS programming and creating informative publications while utilizing her skills in writing and graphic design. 

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Benjamin Stream

Web-Development:
UAF Undergrad
  • brstream@alaska.edu

Benjamin is an undergraduate student at UAF pursuing his Bachelors in Computer Science. While he enjoys computer graphics and application development he has come to appreciate the web-development and data science GINA challenges him with. At GINA, he has developed a firepoint statistics dashboard and is maintaining GINA’s feeder product delivery site. Ben enjoys the outdoors of Alaska including fishing, hiking, camping, and spending his time with friends and family.

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Serina Wesen

Education & Outreach Coordinator
Serina is the Education and Outreach Coordinator with the Snow, Ice, and Permafrost Group. Serina helps manage NSF and NASA-funded Snow-STEAM projects at the GI, helps with SALVO fieldwork in Utqiagvik, AK, and is now a part of the GINA team. Serina graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage with a BS in Natural Sciences focusing on Geology and Environmental Science and a minor in Mathematics. Before working at the GI, Serina worked with the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) for over four years, conducted summer research at La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica, and worked in the Conservation Genetics Laboratory at USFWS. This Alaskan loves to spend time with her dogs, travel to new places, and play outside. Her favorite outdoor activities include rock and ice climbing, hiking, sea kayaking, mountain and fat biking, camping, and skiing.
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Julia White

NASA Snow-Ex Intern: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Julia is pursuing a master’s degree at UAF in Earth Systems Science with a concentration in Geospatial Science. She is currently an intern with NASA SnowEx and is working with GINA and GLOBE to study snow drifts in the Eastern Alaska Range. Her background is in remote sensing and environmental science. During her free time, Julia enjoys mountaineering, skiing, ice climbing, fishing and pack rafting.

Milton Wiltse

Affiliate Professor
Milt is an Affiliate Research Professor with the University of Alaska Geographic Information Network (GINA) group within the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. His research interests are focused on using GIS and machine learning to extract new information from Alaska’s legacy geologic data pertinent to identify prospective mineralized tracts. He has a B.A. Degree in geology from the University of Pennsylvania, a Ph.D. in geology from Indiana University and 52 years minerals related geologic experience. Prior to his current work at Gina he was a geologist, geochemist, State Geologist and Director of the Alaska Division of Geologic & Geophysical Surveys. Before his time at DGGS, he was a faculty member of the Colorado School of Mines – Geology Department where he taught courses in ore microscopy, petrology, geologic mapping, and theoretical geochemistry of ore deposits. During an extended leave from DGGS in the 1970s Milt worked as a consultant geologist conducting mineral exploration in Alaska and the Southwestern United States.

UAF Collaborators

JEREMIAH DABNEY

Systems Administrator
Jeremiah Dabney is an employee of the Research Computing Systems group at the Geophysical Institute, and he specializes in Linux system administration. Jeremiah assists GINA with our near real-time processing stack, ensuring data products are delivered quickly to Alaska’s operations and research community.
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LIAM FORBES

Systems Administrator

Liam Forbes is the manager of the Research Computing Systems group at the Geophysical Institute. He supervises a team of systems analysts, network engineers, computer technicians, and web developers to provide research cyberinfrastructure and information technology support for the UAF Geophysical Institute and other UA research communities, including GINA.